Council of Canadians Applauds breakthrough on Site 41

The Council of Canadians is congratulating the Simcoe County Corporate Services committee for passing a motion calling on Simcoe County Council to revoke the Certificate of Approval for Site 41. The resolution calls for county staff to be instructed “to request the revocation of the Certificate of Approval from the Ministry of Environment,” and will be voted on by the full Simcoe County Council May 25th.

“This is without question the right decision. It's great to see the Councillors working to protect the water, which is what the community wants,” says Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow. “Simcoe County Council must pass this resolution and revoke the Certificate of Approval once and for all.”

Last July a month-long blockade led by First Nations and the local community delayed construction and brought international exposure to the issue.

Opponents of Site 41 scored a significant victory last year with Simcoe County Council ultimately voting to halt construction of the waste dump at Site 41. However, the final outcome has remained uncertain because the Certificate of Approval makes the land worth millions of dollars to any corporation wanting to build a dump at Site 41. Revoking the Certificate of Approval would prevent that from happening.

“We are delighted that after the hard fought 25-year local campaign to defeat Site 41, the final chapter may be about to be written,” adds Council of Canadians National Water Campaigner Meera Karunananthan. “That we have reached this point shows what can be achieved in defense of water when people work together.”

“This is a victory for local democracy,” says Mark Calzavara, Council of Canadians Ontario-Quebec Regional Organizer. “The people of Simcoe County have convinced their elected officials that it is unconscionable to destroy such a precious watershed. Future generations will thank them for that."

“We sincerely hope that Simcoe County Councillors will meet their obligations to protect the water and to steward water as a public trust,” concludes Barlow. “To do so county council must revoke the Site 41 Certificate of Approval.”

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For More Information:

Dylan Penner, Media Officer, Council of Canadians, 613-795-8685, .

www.canadians.org/site41